ANCESTORS’ TITLES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 55, Issue 3941, 18 August 1937, Page 10

ANCESTORS’ TITLES

HOW: OUR NAMES ORIGINATED.

CURIOUS SURVIVALS. A correspondent in an English paper wrote that, at a certain camp in India, the only British officers in Command were Captain Adam and Captain Eve ! The rector of a West Country church at one time was the Rev. Mr Merryweather, and his curate’s name was Rainy; at another church the curate bore the appropriate name of Crucifix; these, and many such coincidences, add interest to the fascinating subject of surnames and their origin. Although such names as Catsnose, Hellicat, Blatkinthemouth, or Halfenaked, which are to be found in many old records, find no place in modern directories, the landlord of an inn near Cambridge, not many years ago, rejoiced in the name of Gotobed. Obviously, surnames originated in an attempt to distinguish between neighbours or relations bearing the same first name, but at first they were merely individual nicknames, which were not handed on to descendants, and were often descriptive of some physical attribute or characteristic.

Modern names which were originally nicknames include Fairfax from fair and the Anglo-Saxon feax—hair. The imposing name of Courtney or Courtenay is of French origin, and is derived, according to an old French epic, from “courtnez,” short nose. This was an honourable nickname bestowed on Guillaume d’Orange, who, when bereft of this important organ by a Saracen foe, announced undauntedly; “Though I have my nose ‘a little shortened, I know well that my name will be thereby lengthened 1 ” Oliphant was a popular word for elephant, and was doubtless conferred on some brawny Briton in recognition of physical prowess. A very large proportion of our names are descriptive of trades and professions. The “Jackmans” are descended from the medieval foot soldiers, who wore a “jack” or habergeon. Chaplin comes from "caplin,” part of a knight’s armour. A spencer was a distributor of pro.visions (a ladder is still called a “spence” in Scotland and the North), and Aumonier is derived from the almoner’s vocation. Those who bear the name of Coward should remember that it casts no reflection on the characters of their ancestors, but denotes that they fol-

lowed the rural profession of cowherd.

Mercer originated in an old French word, meaning pedlar, and Chandlers were at first concerned only in the making and selling of candles.

The well-known name of Chaloner was used to distinguish a dealer in chalons, a material made at Calon-sur-Marne, while metal clips or “points,” used in the Middle Ages to hold doublet and hose together were made by craftsmen who gradually assumed the name of Poynter.

Names of heroes, real and mythical, were frequently adopted by people of a romantic frame of mind. The Welsh Cradock commemorates Caradoc (Caractacus), while Isolt and Guenevere have produced Isard, Izzard, Genever, Jennifer and Gayor.

The Paladin Rowland or Roweland survives in Rowe, Rollit, Rolls and Rowlinson. Bearers of the name Oates may look far past the infamous Titus, back to Odo, a Norman hero.

Even the unromantic Siggins is derived from Segnin, the name of several ancient heroes. Pankhurst and Middlemas are two of the few remaining “season” names, being forms of Pentecost and Michaelmas respectively. Palmer is the modern form of Paumer, used to describe a pilgrim to the Holy Land, though it may be the name of ancient tennis stars, as tennis, played with the palm of the hand is of great antiquity and was called by the French “le jeu de paume.’’ It is interesting to know that the ex-Prime Minister’s Old English name was “Bealdwine,” meaning Bold Friend.

Just as the players at Oberammergau are known among their neighbours by the names of the characters they portray, so the actors in the old Miracle and Morality plays gradually assumed their “stage” names. In this way such names as King, Prince, Duke, Earl and Abbot, or Postle, from apostle, Fryer (friar) and Ankrett (anchorite) originated. Also names which at first might appear to be descriptive of personal characteristics, like Good, Mercy, Blythe, and Perfect, W’ise and Patience, Poyner or Porynor may be traced back to the character known as “Painer,” or “Tormenter,” whose duty it was to keep the hell fires burning, and provide the sounds of souls in torment, off stage.